News
Trends
Celebrities
Interviews
Jet Set Pet
Suite Dreams
Top 5
Weekend Away
Specials
Family Vacation Packages
Romantic & Honeymoon Packages
Spa & Wellness Packages
Destination Weddings
Girls Getaways
Mother's Day Getaways
Spring Specials
Summer Specials
Fall Travel Packages
Winter Specials
Destinations
Articles
Hotels
Hot Hotel Openings
Beach & Island Resorts
5-Star City Hotels
Adventure & Eco Lodges
Boutique City Hotels
Country House Hotels
Family Resorts
Romantic Retreats
Guest Ranches
Safari Camps & Lodges
Golf Resorts & Lodges
Spa Resorts & Wellness Retreats
Ski Resorts & Lodges
Wine Country Getaways
Villas
Beach Villas
Country Villas
Golf Villas
Ski Villas
Villas
Residences
Trips/Cruises
Cruises & Yachting
Rail Journeys
Ultimate Adventures
Private Jet Travel
Safaris
Family Travel
Travel Tips
Business Travel
Airline News
Arts/Culture
Events
Food/Wine
Restaurants
Bars & Nightclubs
Afternoon Tea
Coffee & Desserts
Culinary Travel
Wine Travel
Spa/Sport
Spa & Wellness Retreats
Yoga & Hiking
Golf Getaways
Ski Vacations
Shop/Style
Gift Guide
Beach and Resortwear
Beauty and Fragrance
Books
Fashion
Home Style
Luggage and Handbags
Luxury Autos
Men's Style
Travel Essentials
Watches & Jewelry
Wine and Spirits
World's Most Expensive
Home Page
News
Galapagos' Ecoventura Names Most Popular Luxury Land Extensions
February 18, 2013
Land extensions
in tandem with a cruise include the coastal city of Guayaquil, nine nights from $4,440 per person double; the Andean capital of Quito with Otavalo and Cotopaxi, 12 nights from $5,530 per person double; Sacha Rainforest Lodge, 14 nights from $6,030 per person double; and Cuzco and Machu Picchu in Peru, 14 nights from $6,277 per person double. Prices include both the cruise and the land extension.
Guayaquil has several new faces including Malecon 2000, a two-mile riverside complex and pier; Las Penas, a neighborhood of 400-year-old houses converted into art galleries and cafes; Parque Historico, a recreation site of the early 20th century including a zoo and the upscale Plaza Lago in the suburb of Samborondon with shops and theater. Cruise guests lodge at Oro Verde, the city's only five star locally owned and operated hotel, a member of Leading Hotels of the World and the first to be certified by Smart Voyager.
Quito (pictured above), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a preserved Spanish colonial city with cobblestone streets and gilded churches as well as a modern city and financial center with high rises and shopping malls. In the past decade nearly $500 million was invested in the historical downtown area with the monasteries of San Francisco, Santo Domingo and La Compania, classic examples of Baroque architecture. There is a foodie revolution under way in Quito with tempting new restaurants opening, hot on the heels of their neighboring country Peru.
Plaza Foch is the new hip area for trendy bars and restaurants. A gondola-style Teleferico offers a panoramic ride to the top of a 12,943-foot summit. The Guayasamin Museum displays art from Ecuador's most well-known living artist. Visits outside of Quito will appeal to nature lovers at Cotopaxi National Park; for indigenous cultures and handicrafts there is the Otavalo Indian market, the largest in South America. Ecoventura guests lodge at the luxury boutique Hotel Le Parc Quito that opened in 2007.
Amazon rainforest - for the ultimate wildlife experience many cruise guests combine Galapagos with a lodge in the jungle. Sacha Lodge in Coca is a 30-minute flight from Quito. In groups of no more than six per guide, guests can walk high along a 900-foot canopy, climb a 135-foot observation tower, visit a butterfly farm, canoe down river to the Yasuni Clay lick to witness dozens of parrots, toucans and monkeys, fish for Piranha, swim in the lake, fly through the rainforest on a zip-line, take night walks and more. While in Quito guests lodge at Mansion del Angel, a mansion built at the turn of the last century by a tobacco tycoon.
Ecoventura offers two extensions to Peru including a six-night program with the Casa Andina Private Collection hotels and the Inkaterra Pueblo and a seven-night five-star extension with the Westin and Libertador Luxury Hotels and Sumaq Hotel. The highlights of the trip are Machu Picchu ruins, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
However, for those with limited hours and time only for a cruise, Ecoventura reports that a cruise can be accomplished with only two, and sometimes just one, forced overnights coming and going from the ship. With current flight schedules guests can return home the last evening the cruise ends.
Ecoventura spokesperson Doris Welsh advises that the Feb. 20, 2013, planned opening of Quito's new airport, Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Tababela, about 20km east of Quito, will make Quito more accessible by accommodating more flights from an increased number of destinations. Travel time from the airport into Quito will range from 45 minutes or more in rush hour. However, because hotels in Quito will no longer offer complimentary airport shuttle service, travel time and transfer expense will increase. Ecoventura recommends that their passengers travel via the coastal city of Guayaquil for short or one night stays to avoid the hassle, at least until the highways are finished and hotels closer to the airport open, anticipated in about a year.
To reserve a cabin or private charter, or to receive a copy of Ecoventura's 2013 catalog please call toll-free 1.800.633.7972, or e-mail info@galapagosnetwork.com. To access current rates, schedules and itineraries log on to
www.ecoventura.com
.
Like Us
Facebook
Follow Us
Twitter
Follow us
Instagram
Sign-up for Our Email Newsletter
FIND A LUXURY HOTEL & BOOK WITH EXCLUSIVE PERKS!
Andorra
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bhutan
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
Canada
Cayman Islands
Chile
China
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
England
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji Islands
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Galapagos
Germany
Greece
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Martinique
Mauritius
Mexico
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Oman
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Russia
Scotland
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovakia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
St Vincent & the Grenadines
St. Barthelemy
St. Kitts & Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Martin
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Turkey
Turks & Caicos
U.S. Virgin Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Wales
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Beach
City
Coastal
Countryside
Desert
Golf Course
Island
Jungle
Lakeside
Mountains
Remote
Waterfront
Wilderness
Adventure/Eco/Nature
Culture
Business Meeting
Casino/Gambling
Food & Wine
Family Vacation
Golf Getaway
Pet Friendly
Romantic Getaway
Safari
Scuba Diving
Shopping & Fashion
Ski Vacation
Spa & Wellness
Villas
Wedding
Wineries / Wine Tasting
Luxury Partners
Viking Cruises - #1 Ocean, River, and Expedition cruises
Wellness in Tochigi: Hot Springs, Spas, Zazen, Yoga & Vegan Cuisine
Sofitel Paris - Experience the Sparkling City of Light Four Ways
JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa
Villa Lala — Romantic Boutique Hotel in Puerto Vallarta
Step Off the Plane and Right Into Comfort: An Exceptional Hotel Experience Connected to Tokyo Haneda Airport Terminal 3
Luxury Villas and Residences - for your perfect family vacation.
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa - Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii - Beachfront Resort
Atlantis Dubai - An iconic entertainment destination comprised of two world-class resorts that bring you extraordinary experiences.
Cabo Platinum - Cabo San Lucas Luxury Villas, Yachts & Concierge Services
The St. Regis Deer Valley - Park City, Utah - Exhilarating activities in the summer and the winter
Blue Waters Resort & Spa - Antigua - A hidden gem nestled in a private bay on Antigua's northwestern coast with sunset views
Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach - Sunny Isles, Miami, Florida